Bulgarian high-school students won two silver and three bronze medals at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics in Vassouras, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil reports Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

Over 260 entrants from 53 countries competed in the Olympiad between August 17 and 27, Bulgaria's Association of Olympic Teams in Natural Sciences reported on Tuesday. Silver medals were awarded to Bayan Gechev, 12th grade, and Lora Lukmanova, 11th grade, both from the Sofia Mathematics School. Bronzes were earned by Kaloyan Tsanev, 11th grade, First Private Mathematics School in Sofia; Elena Yordanova, 10th grade, Ruse Mathematics School; and Stela Bineva, 11th grade, Haskovo School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

The Bulgarian team was led by Nikola Karavasilev and Zahari Donchev of the Institute of Astronomy with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Over the years, Bulgarian competitors have reaped 63 medals from the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, including 14 golds, 23 silvers and 26 bronzes.